Labor legislation and occupational safety standards need to be reviewed, Business Georgia President Mikheil Kordzakhia told BMG. He said unclear regulations, double standards and enforcement difficulties are creating disruptions and legal disputes in the private sector.
Kordzakhia said nine years since the establishment of the Labor Inspection Service and amendments to the Labor Code are sufficient time to revise the legal framework. He highlighted unclear rules regarding occupational safety specialists and said construction regulations also fail to clearly establish responsibility among contractors, subcontractors and permit holders.
He also criticized the existing risk-assessment methodology as too general and subjective, saying it can allow inspectors to consider company documentation deficient and impose sanctions. Kordzakhia said the 40-hour workweek rule is also inconsistent, as employees can legally work for several companies and ultimately reach 80 hours per week.
“If the goal is to protect people from overwork, it is unclear why the restriction is categorical with one employer but allowed when working in different places,” Kordzakhia said. He called for a joint working group to prepare legislative amendments that would eliminate ambiguities, establish clear rules and ensure objective enforcement.
